Stoker



May 3, 1932. N. M. LOWER ET AL STOKER Original Filed Feb. l0, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet and la 2 Edwz @er zrner mim. Y v

May 3, 1932 N. M. L owER E11-Al. '1,856,572

STOKER Original Filed Fab. 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pafemed May 3, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NATHAN M. LOWm, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ANDEDWIN ARCHER TURNER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE STANDARD STOKEB COMPANY INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOXEB Application led February 10, 1926, SerialNo. 87,220. Renewed March 21, 1931.

This invention relates to stokers, and more particularly to stokermechanism for locomotiv'es.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for transferring fuel from the tender to the locomotive anddelivering the same to the elevator mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for dividing the stream of fuel brought forward by the conveyerand delivering the same to the two elevator screws.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedStoker mechanism for transferring fuel from the tender and deliveringthe same in an unbroken stream to each side of the firebox of thelocomotive at points below the conventional firedoor opening.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of new and improvedstoker mechanism that is simple in construction, elcient in operation,cheap to manufacture, and that is not likely to become broken or get outof order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of alocomotive and tender therefor showing the invention in osition thereon,with parts in section, parts roken away and parts omitted for the sakeof clearness;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with parts brokenaway;

Fig. -3 is a rear elevation of a portion of a locomotive showing theinvention in position thereon, with the conveyer in vertical section andwith parts broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, with parts broken away.

On the drawings, the reference character 10 designates a locomotive and11 the tenderv therefor. The locomotive 10 is provided with the backwall 12 having the firedoor opening 13 leading to the firebox 14, as 1susual in such constructions.

Stoker mechanism is provided for transferring fuel from the tender anddistributing the same over the firebox. This mechanism comprises aconveyer casing 15 which 1s mounted in the usual manner beneath the deckof the tender, and two elevator casings 16 and 17. The conveyer casing15 is preferably though not necessarily composed of two sections. veyercasing is provided on its forward end with a ball shaped extension whichis adapted to engage in the rear end of the forward section of theconveyer casing 19. The rear portion of this section is in the form of atrough located beneath the tender for receivlng the fuel therefrom inthe usual manner.

The rear' section 18 of the cont A pin 21 rigidly secured in the rearend of the front section of the conveyer casing engages in an opening inthe lower portion of the rear section of the conveyer casing forpreventing disengagement of the sections of the casing. The opening isslightly enlarged whereby the sections will be held assembled and at thesame time will have a relative universal pivotal movement. The jointbetween the conveyer sections is arranged directly above or, as shown,adjacent to the coupling 3() between the locomotive and the tender,whereby in turning curves a minimum movement of the forward end of therear section of the conveyer is necessary.

A conveyer screw 22 is mounted in the casing 15. As shown, this screw,comprising'the rear section 23 and the forward section 24 connectedtogether bythe universal joint 25 in the plane of the joint of thecasing, is journaled in the latter as at 26.

The section 24 of the screw is preferably though not necessarilyprovided with a double Hight 27 and 28 which will assist in equallydistributing the fuel to the two elevators. The forward ends of theflights 27 and 28 may, if desired, be arranged radially of and in theplare of the axis of the screw, and at opposite sides thereof to formwhat may be termed paddles, as shown at 20 in Fig. 1. These paddlesprevent the accumulation or jamming lof the fuel against the forward endof the conveyer by forcing the fuel lateralily through an opening ateach side of the of the firedoor opening and at-each side thereof, andfrom which it is projected into the iirebox by blasts from the nozzles33 in a manner well understood in the art. The passages in the upperends of the casings 16 and 17 are curved as shown at 60, for directingthe fuel forwardly into the distribu-v tor tubes 32 in front of thenozzles 33. The.

upper ends 'of the elevator screws are floating-that is, they are notprovided with journals, hence the fuel is unobstructed in its flow fromthe elevator into the distributor tube. The elbow or curved upperportion of the elevator is preferably provided with an opening 70through which a bar may be inserted for loosening the fuel should thesame become clogged in the elbow or -distributor tube. The casings 16and 17 are' each composed of upper and lower sections 34 and 35,respectively. The lower end of the upper section telescopes into theupper end of the lower whereby the sections may be taken apart forinserting or removing the elevator screw. The sections are heldassembled in any suitable manner, as by the set screws 36.

The casings 16, 17 and 19 are so arranged that the flights of the screwsection 24 are in close proximity to those of the elevator screws, thecasing 19 being so constructed thatfthe fuel brought forward by theconveyer is delivered from a point between the ends of said conveyerdirectly to the flights of the elevator screws instead of delivering thesame from the end of the conveyer into the elevator casings as is theusuali practice. As shown, the fuel is delivered to the elevator casingsfrom each side of the conveyer screw. The parts are so arranged that thefuel Hows in a continuous stream through the conveyer and upward througheach ele vator. v

In the present construction the casing 19 is only slightly larger indiameter than the conveyer screw, whereby the flow of the fuel along theconveyer is uniform and the proper division made for the two elevators.The casings 16 and 17 are inclined rearwardly from their upper to theirlower ends whereby the fuel will readily pass in uniform streams fromthe conveyer upwardly therethrough. Preferably, though not necessarily,the inclination of the elevators is such that the three screws meet ator adjacent to the universal joint 1n the conveyer casing.

The conveyer and elevator screws are all` operated from a common shaft37 which in turn is operated either directly or through reduction gearsfrom the crankshaft 38 of amotor 39. The motor may be of anytype, thatshown being a four cylinder steam engine 41 having the intake andexhaust portsl 42 and 43, in common. F or the sake of clearness ofillustration the piping is omitted. The engine is reversible in theusual manner. Since the details of the engine constitute no part of thepresent invention it is not thought necessary to illustrate or furtherdescribe the Same.

The shaft 37 is mounted in a casing or bearing 44 which extendstransversely of the v locomotive beneath the conveyer casing. The crankshaft 38 and adjacent end of the power shaft 37 are connected togetherthrough the sleeve 45. A plurality of sleeves 46 having worms thereonare mounted'on squared portions of the shaft 37 for rotating therewithfor operating thev elevator screws 31 through the worm gears 48. Aspacing sleeve 49 is mounted on the shaft 37 between the two worm gearsleeves 46. The worms on the sleeves 46 are threaded in oppositedirections whereby the side thrust of one is counteracted by that of theother.

Suitable means are provided for operating the conveyer screw from theshaft 37 and for operating the elevator screws independently of theconveyer screw. As shown, a sleeve 51 having a worm thereon is rotatablymounted on the shaft 37. It is clutched to the shaft through a clutchsleeve 52, slidably but non-rotatably mounted thereon. The sleeve 52'isprovided with clutch teeth 53 which are adapted to engage correspondingrecesses 54 in the worm sleeve 51. The sleeve 54 is shifted by a shiftermember 55 which is operated manually by, a lever 56, see I figs.`

2 and 3. A worm gear 57 rotated bythe worm on the sleeve 51 is adaptedto operate .the conveyerscrew through the shaft 59 that extends to therear of the conveyer. The shaft 59 is connected to the conveyer screw 22through suitable gearing in the usual manner.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the motor isoperated, the elevator screws will be operated and the conveyer screwwill remain at rest. Since the motor may be reversed, the elevatorscrews may be operated in either direction without operating theconveyer screw.

We claim as our, invention:

1. In a locomotive Stoker, in combination, a transfer conduit, a pair ofelevator conduits each -having communication lwith the transfer conduitthrough a lateral opening, a transfer screw in the first named conduit,the forward end/ of which has a plurality of vanes each terminatingopposite the lateral openings in a longitudinal and axially disposedextension, and a screw in each of the elevator conduits, such screwsextending l respectively across the lateral openings whereby fuel ispositively delivered from the transfer screw to the elevating screws.

2. In a locomotive Stoker, in combination, a transfer conduit, a pair ofelevator coni duits each having communication with the transfer'conduitthrough a lateral opening, a transfer screw in the transfer conduit, ascrew in each of the elevator conduits, such screws extendingrespectively across the lateral openings, and means forming a part ofthe transfer screw for urging fuel laterally into the elevator conduits.

3. In a locomotive Stoker, in combination, a transfer conduit, a pair ofelevator conduits each communicating with the transfer conduit through alateral opening, a transfer screw in the rst named conduit, a screw ineachof the elevator conduits and extending respectively across thelateral openings, and means forming a part of the transfer screw forurging fuel from the lower portion of the transfer conduit laterallyinto one of the elevator conduits, and for urging fuel from the upperportion of the transfer conduit into the other elevator conduit.

4:. In a locomotive Stoker, in combination, a transfer conduit having alateral delivery opening at its forward end portion at each sidethereof, a pair of elevator conduits located one at each side of thetransfer conduit and being open respectively to the delivery openingsthereof, a conveying screw in the transfer conduit and extending acrossl the delivery openings thereof, the forward end of the screw having twovanes, the ends of which project parallel with the screw axis and areradially disposed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. NATHAN M. LOWER.

EDWIN ARCHER TURNER.

